One of my musical regrets in 2015 is that once again I’ve been out of the UK when Joe Bonamassa has been touring. One day the diaries will align but in the meantime here’s a track from his 2014 release Different Shades Of Blue that has been going down an absolute storm on the road.

2. Israel Nash - Strangers

Massive shades of Neil Young and Crazy Horse from this master of Americana. The sort of track that demands your full attention at round about midnight as you lie back and let the music wash over you and fill your ears with wonder. It was this or a track from the stunning new Will Johnson album Swan City Vampires, but sadly Will hasn’t got round to streaming that on Spotify yet. Strangers will have to do and in my opinion, it’ll do very nicely indeed

3. Def Leppard - Dangerous

They’re back boys and girls. 7 years since the slightly disappointing Songs From The Sparkle Lounge, Sheffield’s finest have a new album out and it’s like the 80’s never went away, which is fine by me quite frankly. I’ll be down the front when they play Birmingham next month, can’t wait.

4. Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes - Trouble

Explosive Brit-Punk from the former Gallows frontman. Taken from his current album ‘Trouble’ it’s as melodic as it is energetic and I absolutely love it. The album is a seriously good listen, check out the final track ‘I Hate You’, described as possibly the most hostile blues ballad ever performed.

5. Foo Fighters - Saint Cecelia

Fittingly as we featured ‘Congregation' on the first playlist of the year, we finish with this superb track, taken from the Foo’s brand new EP of the same name. Written and recorded over the space of two weekends at Austin’s Hotel Saint Cecilia. The EP is free to download, a thank you from the band to their fans, but they are inviting people to donate to The Sweet Stuff Foundation in memory of the Paris attacks, with funds in part going to the family of Nick Alexander, the merchandise seller for the Eagles of Death Metal who was killed at the Bataclan.